Leandro Lopez Varady is a native from Buenos Aires, Argentina who has been surrounded by music his entire life since his family is heavily involved with all things music. Now, Leandro lives and works in Chicago as the pianist for 312 Chicago. Read on to learn a bit more about this great pianist.

Stitely Entertainment (SE): Who or what inspired you to be a professional musician?
Leandro Lopez Varady (LLV): My father, Osvaldo López, great jazz drummer (he played with Wynton Marsalis, Buddy de Franco, Tete Montoliu among others)

SE: What’s your craziest event story?
LLV: When Chick Corea signed my book of his songs in a press conference in Buenos Aires and looked steady at me for a few seconds. I was 13 years old. I do not know if it was crazy but definitely changed my life.

SE: How did you become involved with music?
LLV: Both of my parents are musicians. My father was a jazz drummer and my mom is a harpist, pianist, singer and composer. Also my uncle was the violin concert master in the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Music was around me since I was born (actually I was exposed to music since I was in my mom’s womb. She was doing a lot of recording sessions at that time).

SE: What was your first concert?
LLV: I was invited to play a composition of mine by a world known argentinean jazz pianist, Enrique “mono” Villegas. I was 14 years old. Although it was not a concert it made an impression on me I will never forget.

SE: If you could share the stage with any musician, dead or alive, who would it be?
LLV: Dead, J.S.Bach. Alive, Chick Corea.